Friday, August 14, 2015

Menagerie by Rachel Vincent Book Review

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

My Review

It looks like I finally have my reading mojo back - it sometimes seems to go in spurts, and maybe it's because I've read some really great books lately, but it doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. Which is a good thing because my TBR pile is HUGE!!!

I can't believe that this is the first book that I have read by Rachel Vincent. Her writing style is not only easy to read, but is descriptive and intoxicating. I could envision the cryptids as I read, but hope that this one gets made into a movie so I can truly see them come to life.

I don't want to give a lot away with a retelling of the story. I found the relationship between Gallagher and Delilah/Drea to be fascinating and can't wait to see how it progresses. Having Rudolph Metzger travel to Mexico to meet the man whose daughter he held captive in his traveling circus/menagerie was another great move and I can't wait to see how that turns out. I LOVED Eryx and hope that at some point he plays a more important role in the books.

There were characters to love, characters to hate, but around all was a story I couldn't put down. I would highly recommend this book.

4 1/2 stars

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close.